Early on Monday morning, Feb. 17, we had an unusual incident at our house, and the only thing I could think to do was call the Fire Department for help. No, our cat was not stuck in a tree, but rather our elderly dog who can no longer manage the stairs was stuck in our elevator, along with my wife, who was bringing him downstairs for his breakfast.

A few minutes after calling the Fire Department for help, Peter Lindner, Don Schumacher, and Aron Schumacher arrived to help. Peter assured me he had training for handling the problem, which was handled quickly and professionally. Wife and dog were lowered to the first floor and were very happy to get out.

So thanks go to the Essex Volunteer Fire Department and its attention to training to manage all kinds of incidents.

Robert Ward

Essex